[yrstruly]

So I just received my PX8's and I'm experiencing a problem (well a few actually) but I'll start with the biggest one. There is no virtually no bass on these headphones. I'm using my Samsung S9, I've tried Spotify and Youtube sources. Music just has no punch. At all.

My mom has the Sony XM5's and while listening to a song (night shift, an oldie but a goodie) there is at least some punchy bass beats that you can groove to, but with the PX8 it's just.... flat. Nothing. The mids and highs are there, but the lower bass is nonexistent and I don't know if my headphones are faulty or if I'm done something wrong. I've kept them with ANC off as ANC on just makes it sound a bit muddier.

Also, when I first got my headphones and turned them on it showed battery at 67%, which I don't know if that is normal either, I've charged them now to 100%. I'm pretty disappointed right now.

The other issue is that when I turn the headphones off, and put them on, the sound cuts in and out when anything is playing on my phone, it's practically unlistenable until I reconnect on bluetooth. Just an annoying inconvenience. Not sure why that is happening.

I was super excited when I got them, but I'm just not sure now - every review I've read has said these headphones have great bass performance. I'm NOT a bass head at all, but when I listen to any music it sounds very... thin.

Sounds faulty my guy. PX8 are pretty darn bass heavy. Have you tried a quick firmware update?

 

[Revelation Sound]

Sorry your having problems with the PX8 it sounds like you have a defective pair. Have you checked rhe EQ setting in the app?

I'm regard to the Bluetooth cutting in and out , I was told there is a sensitivity setting you can adjust for them when you take them on and off your head and the music stopping. That should help.

 

[Yahzi]

Sounds faulty my guy. PX8 are pretty darn bass heavy. Have you tried a quick firmware update?

Hi, it says the software is already up to date.

 

[Denkmal]

So I just received my PX8's and I'm experiencing a problem (well a few actually) but I'll start with the biggest one. There is no virtually no bass on these headphones. I'm using my Samsung S9, I've tried Spotify and Youtube sources. Music just has no punch. At all.

My mom has the Sony XM5's and while listening to a song (night shift, an oldie but a goodie) there is at least some punchy bass beats that you can groove to, but with the PX8 it's just.... flat. Nothing. The mids and highs are there, but the lower bass is nonexistent and I don't know if my headphones are faulty or if I'm done something wrong. I've kept them with ANC off as ANC on just makes it sound a bit muddier.

Also, when I first got my headphones and turned them on it showed battery at 67%, which I don't know if that is normal either, I've charged them now to 100%. I'm pretty disappointed right now.

The other issue is that when I turn the headphones off, and put them on, the sound cuts in and out when anything is playing on my phone, it's practically unlistenable until I reconnect on bluetooth. Just an annoying inconvenience. Not sure why that is happening.

I was super excited when I got them, but I'm just not sure now - every review I've read has said these headphones have great bass performance. I'm NOT a bass head at all, but when I listen to any music it sounds very... thin.

If you get no bass with the PX8, either the headphones are faulty or youre doing something wrong. Check if the seal is ok (press cups against your ears), try with a different source and double check the eq settings in app.

Headphone should come with a 60-70% charge out of box, nothing strange there.

Not sure what you mean with sound cutting but try disabling the proximity sensors.

 

[Yahzi]

If you get no bass with the PX8, either the headphones are faulty or youre doing something wrong. Check if the seal is ok (press cups against your ears), try with a different source and double check the eq settings in app.

Headphone should come with a 60-70% charge out of box, nothing strange there.

Not sure what you mean with sound cutting but try disabling the proximity sensors.

There is bass. But the bass I get seems very light and thin. That is probably the best way to describe it. All comments in this thread point to a bass heavy presentation and that is DEFINITELY not the case. The mids and highs seem prominent with the bass in the background. EQ is set to middle for treble and bass and I've set noise cancellation off.

When I say the sound is cutting out - it's a bluetooth issue of some kind. Earlier today I put on the headphones, turned them on, went to Youtube and Netflix and the sound kept cutting out - it plays for a second, then it sounds garbled, then it plays for a few seconds, then garbled. If I turn Bluetooth off on my phone and on again, it resolves it. I currently the wear detection disabled.

I haven't tried using my TV as a source or my laptop - my only comparison are the Sony XM5's and the bass just seemed way punchier and fuller -the PX8's sound very thin in that department, as if I took the EQ slider for the bass and turned it all the way off. I really hope I don't have defective headphones - I don't even know how the headphones could have faulty bass to begin with.

 

[Yahzi]

Do you guys have any other trouble shooting tips or any other method I could use to determine if my headphones are truly faulty? My dealer is on holiday and is only reopening in the next 2 weeks. If there is anything else I should try then I'm all ears.

 

[Denkmal]

There is bass. But the bass I get seems very light and thin. That is probably the best way to describe it. All comments in this thread point to a bass heavy presentation and that is DEFINITELY not the case. The mids and highs seem prominent with the bass in the background. EQ is set to middle for treble and bass and I've set noise cancellation off.

When I say the sound is cutting out - it's a bluetooth issue of some kind. Earlier today I put on the headphones, turned them on, went to Youtube and Netflix and the sound kept cutting out - it plays for a second, then it sounds garbled, then it plays for a few seconds, then garbled. If I turn Bluetooth off on my phone and on again, it resolves it. I currently the wear detection disabled.

I haven't tried using my TV as a source or my laptop - my only comparison are the Sony XM5's and the bass just seemed way punchier and fuller -the PX8's sound very thin in that department, as if I took the EQ slider for the bass and turned it all the way off. I really hope I don't have defective headphones - I don't even know how the headphones could have faulty bass to begin with.

Go back to the store or any other place that has a demo of them and do a comparison. But it sounds like something is wrong. If they sound the same with another source you may have a faulty unit.
The XM5 has a lot of bass but PX8 has better bass quality and definitely not thin, even if youre a basshead.

 

[Yahzi]

How do I perform a factory reset? Is that even possible?

Edit : never mind. I see you can do it in the app - I'll try that. Other than that, the only other thing to do is to demo it against another pair.

 

[Denkmal]

How do I perform a factory reset? Is that even possible?

Did you read the manual or look in the app? Start there.

If you are still not happy just call B&W directly.

https://www.bowerswilkins.com/-/med...s/pdp-documentation/headphones/px8-manual.pdf

You can clear the paired device history and restore all settings to their factory defaults. Remove the headphones from your head and remove any cables from the headphones. With Px8 powered on, simultaneously hold the Volume +, Volume - and left earpiece Quick Action button for 10 seconds until the indicator LED extinguishes. Release the buttons when the indicator lights up again; the headphones will be ready to pair to a device. Alternatively, you can perform a factory reset from the headphone’s settings page of the Bowers & Wilkins Music app.

 

[CBT177]

There is bass. But the bass I get seems very light and thin. That is probably the best way to describe it. All comments in this thread point to a bass heavy presentation and that is DEFINITELY not the case. The mids and highs seem prominent with the bass in the background. EQ is set to middle for treble and bass and I've set noise cancellation off.

When I say the sound is cutting out - it's a bluetooth issue of some kind. Earlier today I put on the headphones, turned them on, went to Youtube and Netflix and the sound kept cutting out - it plays for a second, then it sounds garbled, then it plays for a few seconds, then garbled. If I turn Bluetooth off on my phone and on again, it resolves it. I currently the wear detection disabled.

I haven't tried using my TV as a source or my laptop - my only comparison are the Sony XM5's and the bass just seemed way punchier and fuller -the PX8's sound very thin in that department, as if I took the EQ slider for the bass and turned it all the way off. I really hope I don't have defective headphones - I don't even know how the headphones could have faulty bass to begin with.

I understand what you're saying as this was my first impression of the PX8's at first. I was coming from the wired P7 and those have much more bass than the PX8 so I thought I had a defective unit as well. I went to my local B&W dealer and tried a demo pair and they sounded exactly the same. I believe most headphones have a bump in bass as this is what the general consumer wants but B&W haven't done this on the PX8 to my ears. I was also wondering what all these reviewers were talking about when they referred to the PX8 having a great low end, it certainly is there but it's not that ear drum vibrating bass we may have become accustomed to.

I wonder if these reviewers were listening exclusively with ANC on as that definitely makes these some boomy headphones but even with ANC on, it is not a clean bass as you have described. To quote MajorHifi's review "If you mainly gravitate towards genres like pop and hip-hop, the PX8 might not be worth the price jump. However, if you primarily listen to classical, folk, jazz or other acoustic music, the advantages of the PX8 will become more important to the overall listening experience." This has been my experience with the PX8's, they are not tuned for modern bass-heavy or hip hop music.

I recently picked up the B&O H95's and these may be what you are looking for, a Redditor commented that these sound like they have a subwoofer built into them and that's accurate to me. If you want bass, the H95's might be what you're looking for however, you do sacrifice some of the details and clarity that the PX8's can extract out of music though.

Hope this helps!

 

[TheOnetoWin]

I understand what you're saying as this was my first impression of the PX8's at first. I was coming from the wired P7 and those have much more bass than the PX8 so I thought I had a defective unit as well. I went to my local B&W dealer and tried a demo pair and they sounded exactly the same. I believe most headphones have a bump in bass as this is what the general consumer wants but B&W haven't done this on the PX8 to my ears. I was also wondering what all these reviewers were talking about when they referred to the PX8 having a great low end, it certainly is there but it's not that ear drum vibrating bass we may have become accustomed to.

I wonder if these reviewers were listening exclusively with ANC on as that definitely makes these some boomy headphones but even with ANC on, it is not a clean bass as you have described. To quote MajorHifi's review "If you mainly gravitate towards genres like pop and hip-hop, the PX8 might not be worth the price jump. However, if you primarily listen to classical, folk, jazz or other acoustic music, the advantages of the PX8 will become more important to the overall listening experience." This has been my experience with the PX8's, they are not tuned for modern bass-heavy or hip hop music.

I recently picked up the B&O H95's and these may be what you are looking for, a Redditor commented that these sound like they have a subwoofer built into them and that's accurate to me. If you want bass, the H95's might be what you're looking for however, you do sacrifice some of the details and clarity that the PX8's can extract out of music though.

Hope this helps!

I just wanted to chime in and say that assessment of the H95's are 100% accurate. These headphones have some of the best bass I've ever heard, not just in regards to ANC cans, but just headphones in general. The main drawbacks though is that the ANC is very mediocre at best and may not be comfortable for long sessions.

 

[jthomp72]

I just wanted to chime in and say that assessment of the H95's are 100% accurate. These headphones have some of the best bass I've ever heard, not just in regards to ANC cans, but just headphones in general. The main drawbacks though is that the ANC is very mediocre at best and may not be comfortable for long sessions.

My sneaking suspicion is it about time in the lifecycle of them to either refresh them or have a completely new model sometime soon… It’s been 2 1/2 years

 

[TheOnetoWin]

My sneaking suspicion is it about time in the lifecycle of them to either refresh them or have a completely new model sometime soon… It’s been 2 1/2 years

I actually feel like it won't happen for at least another couple of years as the H95s were released as a 95th anniversary release.

 

[jthomp72]

I actually feel like it won't happen for at least another couple of years as the H95s were released as a 95th anniversary release.

Maybe not those specifically but all the major players seem to go 2-3 years between releasing their highest of high end cans. I hope so though. I did love the H95 but it’s a little long in the tooth on features. Needs better anc, slightly better multipoint and maybe some bigger, thicker cups and I’m sold.

 

[TheOnetoWin]

Maybe not those specifically but all the major players seem to go 2-3 years between releasing their highest of high end cans. I hope so though. I did love the H95 but it’s a little long in the tooth on features. Needs better anc, slightly better multipoint and maybe some bigger, thicker cups and I’m sold.

Yeah same here. If they even just improved the ANC to at least at the same level of the PX8, bathys, momentum, etc. I'd buy that as well.